


They'll Help You Get Better

by schnoofle



Category: Mother 2: Gyiyg no Gyakushuu | EarthBound, Mother 3
Genre: Alternate Universe - Steampunk, M/M, Substance Abuse, could get morbid as we progress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:14:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 9,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27907282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schnoofle/pseuds/schnoofle
Summary: "Make sure he takes his pills," he remembered Miss Ana say."These will help me get better," he remembered Ness say.Is Lucas really remembering the right thing?
Relationships: Lucas (Mother 3)/Ness (Mother 2)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hi hi author here
> 
> really sorry for not being able to finish "are you there"
> 
> i hope i'll actually finish a story i wrote this time haha ^^;

"Look after him...?" Lucas mumbled as he wasn't sure if what he heard from his father was right. Flint nodded, "Yeah. He may be of your age but he's pretty fragile. Ana just needs someone trusted to watch him while she's away."

The blonde was a postman and last time he checked, he never signed up for babysitting. His father was a friend of a famous inventor who had managed to turn smoke into oxygen. Only a few knew she had a son and she clearly wanted to keep it that way.

"Make sure to leave when there's no one out in the streets alright?" his father patted his shoulder. Lucas averted his eyes before giving a small nod, "Y.. yeah, alright..."

***

The streets were now quiet. Lucas stepped outside quietly, holding a small piece of paper that had an address written on it. There were no vehicles driving around and only the sound of crickets and his footsteps on the concrete could be heard.

The blonde would usually use his motorbike whenever he had to go somewhere but considering he had to be quiet, using it was completely discarded as an option.

He took small steps, looking around his surroundings every now and then. His legs shivered a bit as he's never walked around town during nighttime. It looked like a ghost town where only stray animals could roam freely.

He finally reached the address. A large old house stood in front of the blonde, casting a shadow over him. Lucas gulped and took tentative steps towards the door before knocking. 

He flinched when it creaked open, revealing a tall blonde woman. She had dark rings around her half-lidded eyes and had messy hair, "You must be Flint's kid. Come in," she spoke before yawning and letting Lucas step inside. The floor boards creaked as he walked.

"So uh... where's your son...?" Lucas fiddled with this fingers, making almost little to no eye contact. "He's sleeping upstairs. Would you like to see him before I show you the guest room?" Ana monotonously replied.

The boy nodded before letting the woman lead her upstairs. As they walked down the hall, he couldn't help but wonder as to why this woman decided to stay in such and old house like this. Not that it's going to collapse or anything but considering her invention was selling like hotcakes, surely she got enough of money from that to buy a new house or at least some cleaning supplies right? 

"We're here," she opened the door and lead Lucas inside quietly. A bed rested across the door. It had columns that supported a small curtain that decorated the bedframe. A noirette slept on the bed, snoring softly. There was a padded chair with armrests by the bed and looked like it was connected to the floor.

Ana walked over to the nightstand next to the bed. There was a bottle of pills on it. "My son has been sick for a while now. Please make sure he gets to take his medicine before bed," she eyed Lucas. The boy gulped before nodding, "Y-yes ma'am."

"You don't have to worry too much about what you need to do. Just make sure nothing bad happens to him in case the house malfunctions," the woman yawned. "Pardon...?" Lucas blinked. "This house works by itself in the morning. I'm just worried it might malfunction or Ness suddenly leaves the house, that's why I needed you here," Ana lead him back to the hall as she replied

She lead him to the guest room. Lucas found it quite dark and was intimidated by the windows. He couldn't look through them since they had wooden planks covering them. The moon's light could only seep through the gaps of the planks. He laid down on the bed, letting his eyes explore his surroundings again. The guest room had cobwebs sticking around the corners of the room and only the bed had no dust. He yawned before drifting off to sleep. 


	2. Chapter 2

Lucas's sleep was soon interrupted by the sound of metal against wood. It sounded like someone was walking but who would wear metal for shoes? He sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Good morning, sir," a voice spoke to him. It was like that of a little girl's. There seemed to be something wrong though. The voice was robotic.

The blonde eyed the young girl. She was small and had a large bow decorating her hair. He couldn't see individual strands thought. Instead it looked like metal that was spray painted with yellow. The only things that weren't metal were her clothes. She wore a white shirt and red overalls. Her shoes were just red metal slabs. The girl's skin was silver and glistened as the sun's light hit its surface.

"Huh? Didn't know she had a robot as well..." Lucas mumbled. "A robot? Yes, indeed I am," the girl nodded. "Breakfast is already prepared downstairs. I'll lead you there," she turned to the door.

Lucas reluctantly nodded and followed the robot as she left the room then descended to the floor below. Sometimes the wood creaking as he descended the stairs would bother him. The thought of suddenly having his foot break through the wooden stairs remained in his head. A sense of relief graced over him when they finally reached the floor.

The robot held his arm and guided him to the dining room. He could feel the coldness of her metal skin.

"Good morning, Tracy," a noirette was seated by the table on the same padded chair from last night, smiling at the robot. She raised her hand and waved at him. "You must be the boy mother told me about. I'm Ness, nice to meet you," the boy looked at the blonde.

"Yeah, nice to meet you," Lucas rubbed the back of his neck before taking a seat. Tracy brought him a plate of poached eggs and two pieces of toast. "How was your sleep, big brother?" she looked at the smaller boy.

Ness gently pet her head, "The usual. What about you?" he grinned at Lucas. "Oh um— yeah I slept fine I guess," he replied before taking a bite off of his toast. "I'm Lucas, nice to meet you," he shifted in his seat a bit.

"A shy one are you?" the noirette chuckled. "Yeah.. I hope it's not weird..." Lucas averted his eyes. He was somewhat weirded out when Tracy called the boy his big brother. Was Ness a robot too? Surely not since he was taking pills.

"Hey um... That's the chair from your room right?" The blonde blinked. "Yes it is. It moves me from one room to another so I don't have to walk. Convenient huh?" the noirette replied.

"Big brother can't walk at the moment. He's taking medicine to cure it though," Tracy spoke, still eyeing her brother. "You can't walk? I see..." Lucas mumbled before continuing to eat.

"When you're done just press that button alright?" Ness pointed at the red button at the center of the table. "Ah, sure," Lucas nodded.

"I'll be in the living room reading some books," Ness held what looked like a joystick on the armrests of his chair.

He moved it forward, causing the chair to move slowly out the room. The chair had a thick metal pole supporting it from underneath and it moved across the floor like an automatic gear stick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please excuse my inconsistent schedule, school's really hectic and demanding with deadlines haha ^^;


	3. Chapter 3

Ness looked up from his book when he heard footsteps coming from the main hall, "How was breakfast?" he smiled at Lucas.

"Oh um— pretty nice. I pressed the button then the table brought the plates to the dishwasher," the blonde replied. He recalled how the table was connected to the wall and moved itself horizontally across the room. He probably shouldn't be too surprised since Ana had already mentioned the house worked by itself during the day.

The blonde sat next to Ness, tapping his foot on the wooden floor. "So uh... what do you do for a living?" Ness opened his mouth to break the awkward silence. "I'm just a postman, you...?" Lucas rubbed the back of his neck.

"I help my mother in her machinery sometimes. I know a lot but I barely get to use my knowledge," the noirette sighed. "Have you ever made something before?" the blonde looked at him, eyes somewhat wider as his body tilted forward towards Ness. "Oh um... Not really," Ness chuckled lightly, "I did make a few blueprints though." 

"Blueprints?" Lucas tilted his head. "What're you planning on making then?" he smiled. "You're a curious guy, aren't you?" Ness couldn't help but giggle. The blonde flinched as his hands tried to convey whatever he wanted to say, "N-no um—! I just wanted to strike a conversation! You don't have to answer!" he stammered. 

"Hmm... If you're still planning on sticking around or visiting me, maybe I'll tell you!" Ness chirped. "Does Tracy know?" Lucas raised a brow. "Know what, sir?" the small robot looked at him. "Nah, she may be a robot but she probably won't understand those," Ness gently pet his sister's... "hair"

***

The two spent the next few hours reading and talking. The lighting wasn't that good due to the fact thay the windows were barricaded with wood for some reason and the lights only turned on at night.

Lucas had insisted on carrying Ness back to his bed when the noirette wanted to rest instead of having him take the slow moving chair. "You know Ness..." he mumbled as he walked up the stairs, holding the boy in a bridal style. "Yeah? Is something bothering you?" the noirette blinked.

"No um— You see before I came here last night..." the blonde paused and averted his eyes. "My father mentioned something about you being... well, fragile," hr mumbled.

"Fragile? Well he's not really wrong about that. Why're you telling me this?" Ness gave him a small smile as he chuckled. "I just thought maybe calling you fragile was an overstatement. Sure, you can't walk but you seem pretty capable of doing other things you know?" Lucas gazed at him.

"Huh? But you've only seen me eat and read, what made you think that?" Ness pouted as a faint blush dusted his soft cheeks. "My father really needs to stop treating you like you're a baby. He knows well I'm always careful and he probably thought I needed to be even more gentle with you!"

The noirette flinched when Lucas had raised his voice, "Don't... don't think too much about it. I am pretty fragile, I guess..." he sighed. "Besides, aren't you treating me like a baby too? Instead of letting me use the chair, you insist on carrying me..."

"Does it bother you? I-I just wanted to carry you that's all," the blonde gave him a concerned look. "Well no but.." Ness clicked his tongue in annoyance as he couldn't gather his thoughts anymore. "Just get me to bed please...." Ness mumbled.

Lucas gave a small nod, now remaining quiet. He walked through the halls, listening to the old floorboard creak. Ness was gently tucked in bed. The blonde went downstairs to get him a glass of water then returned to his room, "Your mother told me to make sure you took your medicine. Is it supposed to be for tonight...?" he handed Ness the glass.

"No, as long as I have to go sleep at any time, I have to take it," Ness grabbed the pill bottle. "That's strange..." Lucas mumbled in thought. "Usually there's a specified time of the d—" he jolted when he heard coughing.

Ness had his arm covering his mouth. His chest hurt a little and every time he tried to inhale, he could hear a wheezing sound. The blonde rubbed his back to comfort him, "Are you okay?" he furrowed his brows. Even if his voice sounded calm, his hands were shivering. "Y-yeah... This usually happens after I take the medicine, don't worry," Ness gave him a faint smile.

No, surely Ness wasn't fragile right? Lucas tried to convince himself. He wasn't that close with Ness but he couldn't help but fear for him.


	4. Chapter 4

Lucas had waited for Ness to fall asleep before going downstairs; or at least planning to. He walked over to the nightstand that stood next to the bed and picked up the pill bottle. There was no brand on it but it had a label.

"Thenomin"

The blonde had heard that word a couple of times before at his workplace but wasn't really familiar with the chemical. He set it back down before going downstairs to where the living room was. 

It was still afternoon. _Knowing Miss Ana could be a busy woman, maybe she'll come home late...?_ Lucas thought before he sighed and sat down on the living room couch, next to Tracy.

"Hey uh— You're his sister right...?" the blonde mumbled. The small robot looked up at him. The silence felt very deafening and awkward. She took a while before responding, "I am simply here to assist Ness. If he wishes to address me as his little sister, I do not mind."

"I see," the boy yawned. "Was my big brother's sleeping contagious? I can get you a blanket if you wish," the robot hopped off of the couch, her metallic feet making a loud creak on the floorboards. Lucas laid down and nodded. He succumbed to his drowsiness before he could even speak.

* * *

"Please come back soon, I'd be happy to have you accompany me again," Ness yawned as he sat up on his bed. "Don't expect him to come all the time, Nessie. He still has work to do after all," Ana chuckled lightly. "Oh, yeah please don't worry too much about it, ma'am. I'm off during Thursdays and Saturdays," Lucas smiled at the woman.

She left the room with Lucas, leaving the noirette staring at the door as it closed and deprived his room of the light it wanted. Ness was completely alone. What if... he tried again? 

"I hope you didn't find my son's situation as strange. I'm very glad he got to see another person other than myself," Ana opened the door. "Not at all, ma'am. I'll be sure to visit him when I can—"

"Did he take his medicine?" the woman's question caught Lucas off guard for a moment, "O-of course ma'am! You don't need to worry about that," he smiled. "I see. Please have a safe travel back home," she gave a nod before closing the door.

She jolted when she heard a thud from upstairs. "Tracy, will you please check on Ness for me?" Ana requested. The robot nodded and wasted no time as she ascended the stairs.

After a while, Ana followed and headed to Ness's bedroom where Tracy had left the door open. The noirette was on the floor and Tracy was trying to help him back to bed.

"This again?" Ana sighed. "I'm sorry, Mother. I've been taking these pills for three years now. I just got impatient," Ness sheepishly smiled. It looked quite forced as he clutched onto the bedsheets. "Please don't force yourself, Ness. You'll be able to walk soon so please do not force your poor legs." the woman walked up to him and put a hand on his charcoal black hair.

"You're a good boy right?" she gently weaved her fingers through the strands. Ness nodded, "I'm sorry, Mother," he mumbled flatly. 


	5. Chapter 5

Ness waited for midnight when he guessed mother would be in deep sleep and Tracy would be charging. He laid by the edge of the bed and reached his hand underneath. He pulled out a blueprint and grabbed a pencil from his nightstand.

* * *

Lucas tapped his foot on the floor as he chewed his sandwich. He stared at the grandpa clock standing against the wall across the break room's door as it obnoxiously ticked. The room was somewhat small and the blonde was quite glad he was only with one person.

"Hey, Duster?" Lucas eyed one of his co-workers, a spark of curiosity in his eyes. "Yeah?" the brunette hummed. "You've been delivering orders to Miss Ana's house for a while now right?" the boy tilted his head.

"Yeah. Wait— you've been there...?" Duster blinked before furrowing his eyebrows and tilting his body towards Lucas. "Yeah," the latter nodded. "I—" he paused. Perhaps mentioning that Miss Ana had a son wouldn't be a good idea, considering she kept Ness's existence a secret.

"I was tasked to deliver something and check on a robot she has," Lucas averted his eyes as he shifted in his seat. "I see...." Duster rested his elbow on the table. "So um... have you ever delivered her thenomin before...?" the blonde spoke before taking another bite out of his sandwich.

"Thenomin? Ah, she requests it every month or so. Maybe it's for a chemical she could be developing, I don't know. Do you?"

After swallowing, Lucas continued to speak. "No but... I saw a bottle of it at her place..." he lowly mumbled, playing with his fingers. Duster chuckled and smirked at the boy, "What are ya? Snitching? Didn't know you were a curious boy."

"N-no, it's not like that! I just happened to have found it and was really curious about what thenomin was!!" the boy frantically waved his hands in front of him. "I see... Well from what I remember it's an alternative source for electricity," Duster shrugged.


	6. Chapter 6

After his shift had ended, the blonde bolted out of his workplace in a hurry. His back and legs hurt after carrying large bags of mail but forced himself to run faster nevertheless. The sun was about to set, making houses and buildings cast tall shadows.

He was welcomed by a sense of intimidation when he reached Ness's home. Lucas dragged his shaky legs to the porch and knocked on the door. A familiar robot opened it for him.

"Did you need something?" Tracy looked up at him. "Could I see Ness?" he replied. The small robot nodded and stepped aside to let him enter.

"Ness?" the blonde called. He heard the noirette's voice in the living room.

"Lucas, you're back so soon?" Ness gave him a confused look and furrowed his brows. He was about to get off of the couch when the blonde held him, "Don't force yourself," he spoke softly.

The noirette gave a small smile and pulled away. "What brings you here?" he tilted his head. A deafening silence fell in the room, the only sound present being the metal of Tracy's shoes against the wooden floor as she walked to the kitchen.

"I wanted to ask you something," Lucas mumbled and looked down. Ness blinked and tilted his head. 

"You know thenomin right?" 

Ness blinked and nodded his head. Lucas asked if the noirette was familiar with what it does.

"Well it's my medicine right?" the smaller boy lightly chuckled.

Medicine.

Either these people lived celebrating opposite day everyday or he really didn't know. "Look um—"

"I'm home!" a woman's voice could be heard in the main hall. Ana noticed the boy's shoes left next to the potted plant next to the door. Well more of what's left of what used to be a plant with leaves.

She checked in the living room to find the two sitting next to each other. "What brings you here?" the woman asked, taking her coat off. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for being patient with me. i really hope you find this story intriguing, despite the somewhat scarce details i've provided. again, thank you and please enjoy :DD

Lucas's stomach dropped.

"He wanted to—"

"Sleepover! I missed Ness and I wanted to have a sleepover with him!" the blonde immediately hugged him, causing Ness's eyes to bug out. "Sleepover? I see..." Ana gave a small smile. 

She asked Tracy to prepare the bed in the dusty old guest room and Lucas wanted a private talk with Ana, to which she agreed with. Ness seemed quite confused but was reassured by this friend that it wasn't too serious.

The woman led him up to her room where they could talk in private. Fear blanketed Lucas's back and every step he took as he followed Ness's mother was tentative. Their silence broke once they got inside.

"Was something concerning you?" she asked in a motherly voice, which was contrasted by a somewhat intimidating glare on her face. Lucas could feel his palms growing sweaty.

"What does thenomin do to people?" he asked slowly, looking at her ear instead of her eyes as her stare burned holes into his head. "I-if you're not gonna answer, it'll make things more suspicious you know?" the blonde furrowed his brows.

* * *

"Big brother," Tracy helped Ness back onto his chair, "It's late. We need to get you upstairs."

"Ah, thank you," Ness smiled. "Um... You know, Mother and Lucas are taking quite a while. I'm getting worried..."

"I do not know what they were talking about and therefore I cannot disclose any information about it unfortunately," the robot ascended the stairs alongside Ness's chair. 

Tracy helped him onto his bed and tucked him in. "I'm sure you can stay up with your friend once he is finished with his talk with Mama. For now, please stay put."

The noirette nodded as he slowly laid down. Tracy was about to leave the room when Ness held her cold metallic hand. "Hey, you know what's funny?" he gave a small smile.

"No. Did you tell a joke I wasn't able to hear?" the robot tilted her head. The noirette shook his. "Nah. It's just... I'm your big brother you know? I should be taking care of you," he grinned.

"Please do not worry about that. I'm simply a robot built to serve your needs, big brother."

Ness gently pulled her into a warm hug. Not that Tracy could feel it or anything though. "When I get better, I'll treat you like the little sister Mother wanted you to be," he whispered. Tracy didn't hug back, but she did rest her head on her brother's chest.

The door swung open, shining some scarce light into the room. The noirette pulled away from the hug and turned to the door.

"Lucas...?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i got my first bookmark im so happy ;0;


	8. Chapter 8

Now was the time.

Tell him.

"What took you so long?" Ness smiled. "Sorry, sorry..." the blonde mumbled. "Hey um— Ness?"

The noirette eyed him. "I will leave you two for a bit," Tracy spoke before exiting the room and closing the door.

"Could you promise me something Ness?" the blonde slowly made his way to the bed, taking tentative steps in the darkness. "Yeah? What is it?" the boy blinked.

Lucas grabbed the pill bottle and opened the drawer by the nightstand. He put it inside before slowly closing the drawer. "Do me a favor and skip a night taking these..." he mumbled.

"Why?" Ness furrowed his brows. "I-it's not that I don't want you getting better. You're probably becoming dependent on your medicine. I heard from a doctor today that it might be bad," Lucas smiled.

Ness gave a small nod before laying down, making room for him. "Let's go to sleep yeah?" he spoke softly, voice muffled by the pillow. The blonde gave a small nod and laid next to him, facing Ness's back.

"Your mom prepared the guest room. Are you sure you wouldn't mind me sleeping here?"

"Yeah. I don't want you sleeping with dust in the air."

Ness softly closed his eyes as he felt Lucas's warmth. He felt safe and happy. "After all, friends do this right?"

"Well—" Lucas cut his own sentence short. Maybe the noirette didn't have that many peers to interact to. "Yeah. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Lucas."

* * *

"Honey, wake up," a soft voice spoke as Ness's shoulder was gently tapped. The noirette looked up at his mother. "Breakfast is ready. Your sister is still charging and your friend left already."

Ness turned to see the empty space next to his spot. He missed the warmth he felt last night. "Here. Let Mama carry you," Ana held her arms out.

She had Ness on her back as she made her way down the stairs. "Last night wasn't really fun..." Ness mumbled.

"How so?" 

"We went to bed early."

Ana sat her son down on a chair. She could've used the automatic chair but felt like she wanted to carry Ness again. "I see. I'm sorry about that, babycakes."

"N-no I didn't say it was bad!" Ness stammered. "Sleeping next to him felt really nice. Lucas was really warm and snuggly," the noirette smiled dreamily.

"Of course. He's a living being," Ana set a plate of eggs and toast on the table. "Yeah fair enough," Ness sighed. 

* * *

He entertained himself talking to Tracy the entire day. Ness felt bad about wanting to call Lucas. He yearned for a human's touch but feared he'd be a hindrance to the blonde's schedule.

His mother was usually locked up in her bedroom doing work. She always says it's important work and mother was always correct right?

Night finally came and the noirette was tucked to bed by her sister. Ness sat up once she closed the door and stared at the nightstand.

He opened the drawer to see the bottle of pills roll over to the opening. "Grow immune?" Ness mumbled. He was hesitant, but decided not to take any pills again. Lucas seemed serious about the promise they made.

He grabbed his blueprint then looked down at it. Ness's thumb gently rubbed against the paper for some comfort. It was a blueprint for prosthetic legs. 

After listing some materials, he put the blueprint and the list into the drawer, folded and hidden at the back of the drawer and being covered by a stack of books.

Ness eyed the vacant space next to him on the bed once he closed the drawer.

It's always been empty. Until last night, at least. It's back to being the same bed he's gotten familiar with.

For some reason the empty space felt devoid of warmth it never originally had. He wanted someone to hug him so bad right now, whether it be Lucas, or even his mother.

As long as it was a human's touch.

Anyone will do. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please note that from this point forward, violence, death, etc. will be tackled. if you are sensitive, i would advise you to click off.

It was a regular day like any other. 

Ana was locked up in her room and Ness tried his best to entertain himself again.

It's becoming more and more suffocating. Ness was getting really bored. It won't be long till he gets to make his prosthetic legs though. He had already gotten a couple of supplies off of his list.

He really wanted to surprise his mother.

The noirette flinched when he heard creaking floorboards and sat up on the chair. He saw his mother headed towards the front door with her fists clenched.

Maybe not doing that much is making Ness too observant of his surroundings. "I wonder what's stressing her out..." he mumbled.

* * *

Lucas came a few days later. His eyes scanned his surroundings frequently and his palms seemed sweaty. At least that's what Ness noticed.

"I missed you," Ness smiled as he hugged the blonde. "M-me?" he blinked. The noirette nodded eagerly, "Yeah! I'm glad you came back!" he chirped. They were sharing the smaller boy's bed again.

Darkness loomed over them but the warmth of the noirette's friend made him feel secure. Lucas on the other hand felt agitated. He hugged the noirette back tightly for comfort.

How sure was he with such a dumb idea?

"Ness..."

Can he just do this some other time?

"Yes, Lucas?" Ness purred in comfort.

Was he doing the right thing?

"Let's get you some new clothes, yeah? Yours looked quite old..." Lucas slowly sat up, holding the noirette's hand and intertwining their fingers. Ness couldn't help but blush.

They heard faint footsteps outside the room. The louder they got, the shakier Lucas became.

"Oh? When?" Ness beamed, his bright grin contrasting the gloomy atmosphere of the room. 

The door slowly opened. Ana peered into the room through the darkness. "Ah, Mother!" Ness chirped. "I hope you have a good night," he smiled.

His mother numbly stared at the two and walked over slowly, as if dragging her feet. So it was today.

The snake was going to strike today. 

Too bad Lucas wanted to play things stealthily. 

Lucas faced his back towards Ness, "Climb on my back please..." he mumbled under his breath, low enough for Ness to find it hard to comprehend what he said. "Wh-what? I thought we were going to bed already," the noirette furrowed his brows.

"Annoying little runt," Ana clicked her tongue as she lifted a knife over her head. Her arm's shadow casted over them.

Ness's eyes widened as he hesitantly wrapped his arms around the blonde's shoulders. His eyes were wide open, as if welcoming dust to his eyes.

The woman brought her arm down and a yelp followed after. 


	10. Chapter 10

Lucas had tripped out of panic but still had the noirette in a piggyback. The knife had lodged into the matress.

The two boys were panting an unsteady breath. The blonde quickly got back on his feet and bolted out of the room before Ana could swing the knife at them. He was fast for someone who carried a heavy boy.

"Give me my Nessie back!" the woman shouted from a distance, her voice coarse. The loud noise had interrupted Tracy's charging.

A spark could be heard, causing Ness to look back. The noirette's eyes widened as he saw a knife cut through the robot's head. Lucas wasted no time for showing sympathy to a scrap of metal. It was understandable why Ness seemed hurt though.

He winced a little as the smaller boy's fingernails dug into his shoulders. "Get back here, damn it!" Ana was getting frustrated. She wasn't used to running and was quick to lose her breath once they reached the streets.

Lucas smiled in relief once they were far enough and had reached his house. He opened the door and quickly locked it once they entered. Both of them were still trembling and breathing unevenly.

"Ahh fuck... I wasn't expecting it to be this soon," Lucas panted. Ran away from attempted murder and kidnapped a boy? Lucas didn't really know what he was doing when he sprinted away from a knife swinging maniac of a woman.

"Wh-what's going on—" Ness choked on his words as he teared up when Lucas sat his down on his bed. He clutched the bedsheets tightly as he furrowed his brows.

"She wanted you dead," Lucas mumbled hesitantly. "You could've just let her kill me then!" Ness raised his voice despite being out of breath. 

"Why? Are you stupid or something?" the blonde glared at him in annoyance as he packed their things. "Maybe I am! I could've had it all under control, I was already making prosthetic legs damn it!"

The blonde was too busy packing up to argue back at this point. The noirette stubbornly forced himself to stand up from the bed, only to fall on his knees. He panted unevenly as he wiped years from his eyes. 

"Let's go, we'll miss our train," Lucas picked him up once he grabbed his bag.

"But—" Ness held onto his arm.

"Please. Just hold on for a little longer," Lucas forced a reassuring smile.

Ness hesitantly nodded and let the blonde carry him on his back again. The two left with clothes, money, and a couple of canned food.

* * *

The two boys took a train to the next town. It was quiet and only a few people were on since it was late at night.

It'd be a long ride so Lucas decided to sleep, an arm protectively wrapped around his friend. Ness on the other hand, could barely close his eyes.

The memory of his mother chasing after them with a knife replayed over and over in his head. "L-Lucas..." he mumbled, gently shaking the boy.

"Did you need something Ness?" the taller boy rubbed his eyes. "Would you kill me too when the time comes?" the noirette mumbled.

"Huh? What made you think that?" Lucas gently hugged him and stroked his hair to comfort him. "I don't know... Y..you should start explaining or else I'm gonna be suspicious of you..."  



	11. Chapter 11

Lucas wasn't sure about telling Ness. After all it was a family related issue.

But then again he needed to explain why he had kidnapped the boy.

"Your mother told me she was exhausted. That's why our talk a few nights back seemed long," he looked at Ness. "She planned to kill you then herself. I slept at your place to check on you but I wasn't expecting her to kill you this early. That's all I'm explaining for now. Let's go to sleep..." he yawned.

Ness snuggled up to him and closed his eyes. The train's movement didn't seem to bother them as they let the night pass by. 

* * *

_"I'm tired... I'm so fucking tired..." Ana muttered, her words seething through her teeth. "Huh? What do you mean?" Lucas furrowed his brows and clenched his fists._

_"I'm sorry Nin, I failed you... I crippled my baby boy..." she breathed shakily as she covered her face. The woman was at a brink of tears. "Fine, yes the pills weren't to help him, it was to kill his cells from bottom to top!" she sobbed._

_"My poor baby boy, Mama couldn't protect you like she should've..."_

_"My poor Nessie..."_

* * *

Ness slowly opened his eyes, only to face a white ceiling. He slowly sat up and scanned the surroundings, "L-Lucas?" he grew uneasy when there was no sight of the boy. He was tempted to try again.

With no one helping him.

He put one foot down on the floor, then the other...

_Thud...!_

Ness forced himself to get back up. He still couldn't feel the lower half of his legs.

The door slowly opened, "Ness, are you up? I got us some— AH...! WH-WHAT HAPPENED?" he put the paper bag on the nightstand and helped the boy up. "It's no big deal!" Ness frantically tried to reassure him.

"Please don't force yourself to walk. Your cells will regenerate soon, I'm sure," Lucas sighed. "But... come on, I thought by now I'd be able to do things by myself," the small boy pouted.

The blonde laid down on the bed, next to where Ness sat, "Don't worry about it."

"Why?"

"Because this time I'll be the one to help you get better."


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> k mild spoilers for mother three

"So... what's your plan?" Ness looked down at the boy that laid next to his spot. "I was planning on taking you to my hometown," Lucas responded, eyes still closed.

"It's far from here so I'm sure your mother won't be able to fins us."

"What if she does?"

"We'll kill her."

Ness flinched at the response. "Huh?" he raised his voice a bit. "A.. ah! Um! It was just a joke, don't worry!" the blonde quickly sat up and held his shoulders. The small boy furrowed his brows and pouted.

If Lucas had to be honest, he didn't plan things enough. His only goal was to get Ness to Tazmily unharmed. He didn't really consider any factors like if his mother was still willing to go after them or not.

"Hey um... Aren't you scared? What if Mother hurts you?" Ness spoke, still pouting. "Then I'll be hurt, that's all. But... yeah of course I'm scared..." Lucas averted his eyes. "I've never done something as crazy as this..."

"So why are you willing to go this far?"

Why?

Lucas never thought much about why. Can't Ness just ask how instead?

"I want to help, that's all..." he smiled timidly. "W-we should start moving tomorrow. Let's rest for now..." he rested his head on the smaller boy's chest. Ness's cheeks heated up as he gently stroked his hair.

"I'll try not to be a burden..." he laid down, having his friend lay on top of him.

Soon enough, even Ness fell asleep. 

* * *

_"I wish I was as brave as my brother," Lucas pouted as he rested his head on the wooden table. "Brave? Honey you're using the wrong word," a woman gently stroked his hair._

_"I wanna play with the animals like he does... I'm just really scared..." the boy mumbled. "Then go. If you get hurt, I'll take care of you and tell your father it was my fault. Being brave is about being scared and using that fear to motivate you!" the woman chirped._

_"Mama, you'll kiss my wound if I get hurt right?" the blonde pouted as he looked up at the brunette who grinned and gave him a thumbs up._

_That's right._

_She took responsibility._

_It was his fault so she took responsibility._

_Even for that time when..._

_"I'm sorry, Papa!" Lucas choked on his words and looked up at him with eyes red and swollen from crying. His brother was there to watch everything unfold. His mother was the one who had gotten hurt._

_Hurt? What's the difference between being dead and getting hurt?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey so i'll try updating daily whenever i can. let me know what your thoughts on the story are so far.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i genuinely thought i updated yesterday wth

It was the noirette's first time waking up with sunlight touching his face. It was a little annoying at first, but the moment he opened his eyes, a sense of relief graced upon his body. It felt even better since he had napped next to Lucas.

* * *

"I told you I'd get you new clothes right?"

The question made Ness blink, "Huh? Y-yeah but you don't need to!" he insisted. "I have enough money for clothes and food, don't worry. Besides, your shirt seems really thin and could be ripped open really easily."

They went into a clothing store, receiving a few looks from passerbys. "Welcome!" one of the staff greeted them. Ness scanned his surroundings. He felt butterflies in his stomach as rows of clothes lined the shop.

"Is this really okay? How will I fit my clothes?" Ness clung tighter onto the blonde. "I'll help you with it, don't worry. Just pick what you like," Lucas smiled.

* * *

"You've got good taste."

"You sure?"

The noirette had chosen a white shirt with long and puffy sleeves. He also picked a pair of overalls. If it wasn't Lucas judging his clothes, anyone would've told Ness that he dressed like an old man. 

"Let's try them on, yeah?" Lucas began to feel hesitant. "Huh? Right now?" Ness blinked.

The saleswomen outside the dressing room gave them weird looks.

The blonde gave a small nod. "Y-yeah.... I'll help you undress..." 

"Alright," Ness averted his eyes. He lifted his loose shirt over his head and grabbed the long sleeved one to change. Lucas furrowed his brows in thought. If Ness didn't need to stand up to change, why did he accept coming with him to the changing room?

Lucas couldn't help but cover his face as his cheeks burned red. His shaky hands handed the overalls to Ness. Once the noirette had finished fitting his clothes, he lets his friend know what they were the right size.

Lucas left the dressing room to pay for the clothes.

* * *

Back to walking they were. The scene was a bit awkward for Lucas, honestly. It'd usually be a mother and child making noises in the dressing room, probably by arguing or being too excited.

Huh. Mother and child.

"Ness?" Lucas asked and quickly bit his lip afterwards. "Yeah?" Ness smiled at him. "Um... why did you ask me to help you back there?"

"The dressing room?" Ness blinked. "Ah, I was just scared, don't worry." 

"Scared?"

"I told you not to worry, didn't I?" 

* * *

"The train's close. This'll be the last train we'll take," Lucas spoke. "You sure you don't wanna take a break?" Ness mumbled as he rested his chin on the blonde's shoulder. "We can do it on the train," the taller boy insisted.

Lucas made his way to the ticket booth, still having Ness on his back. He wasn't too confident about leaving him on the benches out of fear someone might take advantage of the noirette. "Two tickets please."

"Ah, that'll be—" the person behind the booth looked up, his eyes widening. "Is something wrong sir...?" Ness tilted his head. "You don't happen to be that lost boy from that other town, do you? Gee, I didn't know she had an offspring..." the man showed them a piece of paper with the noirette's face on it.

So she's still looking.

"U-um—" Lucas's legs grew shaky. He quickly turned to make a run for it until...

"We found the lost boy!" the speakers boomed. "Just hold on there, boy. We'll contact your parent," a guard approached the two. Ness clung even tighter onto Lucas as he clenched his teeth.

"Yes, yes we found the crippled boy..."

Boy? Why was he still being treated as a child? He's not a lost child.

"Let's run," Ness whispered. "Wh-what?" Lucas flinched. "Let's run, I'll take responsibility," the noirette grinned widely.

The blonde nodded and suddenly broke into a sprint. Ness extended his arm and seemed to have grabbed something.

"Hey—" the guard looked down at his holster. He'd use his gun as a threat but apparently it was invisible. He looked ahead to see the noirette pointing it at him, "Come after us and I'll pull this trigger!" Ness barked. 


	14. Chapter 14

Lucas pushed himself to go on but he was already out of breath. His legs throbbed in pain as he panted. People panicked when they saw the crippled boy wielding a guard's gun and made way for them.

It'd be stupid to take the train now. They ran away from authority and pointed a gun at a guard.

Lucas bolted to a grassy field that was to the far left of town. Once he believed they were far enough, he dropped the bags on the ground and lowered Ness.

"D.. do you... actually know how to shoot that?" Lucas grabbed his water bottle. Ness nodded, "Yeah. Papa taught me how."

The blonde laid down, his heart still beating fast. The grass felt soft and comforting. His clothes were drenched in sweat and he probably got his sweat on Ness's new clothes too. 

"We're taking a detour. She's onto us..." Lucas yawned. "Let's rest here for a while... I'm tired..."

"Yeah. You want me to lay next to you?" the noirette offered. The blonde nodded and laid on his side, waiting for Ness. 

Ness laid down next to him and brought him into a hug before closing his eyes.

It was nice, finally having someone sleep next to him.

* * *

"Good morning... Ness!" Lucas immediately sat up when he felt the empty space between his arms he scanned the surroundings and found the noirette sitting by a flowing stream. He got up from the ground, patting grass off of his pants before walking over to his friend.

"Ness—"

The boy gazed up at him with his violet eyes, "Ah, you're up," he beamed. Lucas knelt down and cupped his cheeks, "H.. how did you get here? I mean it's not that far from where we were sleeping but did you crawl?" he was practically squishing Ness's face.

"I... I tried walking again, sorry," Ness huffed, a soft tint of red dusting his cheeks. "Please, _please_ , stop trying, Ness. Your legs will get better. What if you tripped and suddenly fell in the stream?"

The worried tone made Ness's eyes look away from him. 

* * *

With Ness being carried on his back, Lucas continued trudging through the fields. The fact that they were being chased should've been a threat that made him want to run, but the sound of grass seemed to have comforted him.

"Lucas, you were pretty stupid for not taking the train, you know?" Ness pouted. "Sorry, I panicked and just headed straight towards the fields," Lucas rubbed the back of his neck.

He probably needed to reassure the boy.

"Don't worry, Ness. We'll probably find a bed and breakfast house or something. My Dad told me he missed a train and didn't want to wait once so he walked a _loooong_ way like this and somehow found a bed and breakfast."

"Well we better pray then."


	15. Chapter 15

Lucas laid down on the grass again as he closed his eyes. The blonde panted, his chest rising and falling. "Here," Ness handed him his bottle of water. 

As the blonde gulped as much water as he could, he could see Ness shift beside him, "Why are you this determined to get me away from her?" he tilted his head.

Lucas gawked at him, eyes somewhat wide, "Would... would any answer do for now?"

Ness hummed as he looked up in thought, "I guess... But you have to answer honestly the next time I ask," he smiled.

"Then I don't know," Lucas sat up and got back on his feet. Ness furrowed his brows and pouted, "Can't lie?"

"Nope. I really don't know. At least not at the moment," he helped the smaller boy onto his back and picked up the bag before resuming their long walk.

Ness nuzzled his face into the white fabric of the blonde's shirt. His warmth contrasted the cool breeze that tickled their skin. Sometimes they could hear the plants and grass sway if the breeze was strong enough.

As they walked, the blonde seemed a bit preoccupied.

He asked himself the same question again and again.

_Why exactly was I doing this again?_

He heard Ness snore as his arms grew limp. His grip on Ness's lower legs tightened a bit out of fear the sleeping boy might fall off.

He was heavy yeah, but Lucas felt glad. 

* * *

Ness woke up being welcomed by grass. "Lucas?" he mumbled.

A hand holding a loaf of bread appeared in front of him. His eyes followed the arm up until they met with a pair of sea blue ones. The blonde smiled at him, "Here. I'll make sure you get to eat something with flavor tomorrow, don't worry."

Ness grabbed the small loaf and was helped up in a sitting position, "I don't mind. I don't need to eat such flavorful food like a child. I'm as old as you are you know," the small boy giggled.

The blonde's eyes widened before he quickly covered his face with his hands, "R-right... sorry.."

"Have you eaten already?" Ness uncovered his face before taking a bite out of his loaf. Lucas nodded and explained that he didn't feel like waking Ness up too soon. The explanation made the boy laugh.

They were under a large tree with an abundant amount of shade. Spots of light seeped through the trees though. The sky was still blue and it was the afternoon. _Lucas must've been so exhausted walking for this long huh_ , Ness thought to himself.

The blonde was really glad his plan was going swimmingly so far.

The feeling of someone finally relying on him made him feel like he had a purpose. That was to preserve the noirette's smile. He saw himself in the boy, helpless.

That's right.

"So... why do you want to help me?" Ness grinned, his smile wide and reaching both cheeks.

Lucas didn't seem so sure yet, and wasn't Ness being too impatient?

"Well I..." 

He wanted to protect and care for someone. He wanted to protect and care for Ness.

_Even if it's just for a little while._


	16. Chapter 16

The blonde refused to stop and rest, even if Ness had insisted him to. He kept reassuring the noirette that he would rest once they got to an inn since the town was nearby. Ness argued, pointing out that Lucas said the same thing about resting in the train only to find himself walking through a wide field.

Much to the noirette's disbelief, they reached the next town by foot. Er... Lucas's foot.

After getting themselves a room, Lucas fell onto the bed, his back against the matress. "I told you so," he chuckled at Ness. The noirette huffed. "You're pushing yourself. What if you get sick?"

Lucas gazed up at him, earning a confused look from Ness.

The two stared at each other in silence before the blonde opened his mouth, "My mom used to say that..." he mumbled, his mouth barely opening.

"Yeah?"

Lucas nodded before gently bringing him into a hug. "Let's... nap..." he yawned.

Ness hugged back, his cheeks tinted in red.

* * *

He held his friend close to his chest as he hid by the side of the bed, away from the door, "Ma'am, I'm telling you, this room is already occupied!" a muffled voice spoke from behind the door.

_"Really?" a familiar voice sent shivers down Ness's spine. The doorknob jiggled a bit before a loud back and forth argument broke out in the hall. "Ma'am please, we can't let you invade someone's privacy like that—"_

The door swung open, producing a wind. A bag was resting by the bed just across the door. Ness curled up to hide him and his friend entirely behind the bed and his shivering caused the blonde to wake up.

"N—" the noirette covered his mouth.

"They're probably out to buy lunch but see? I told you it was occupied. Why is it that you want this room so badly, ma'am?" the man raised his voice. Ana glared at him before closing the door.

"I... I heard her voice when I woke up earlier..." Ness hugged Lucas tightly, arms wrapped around his neck. Lucas sighed and rested his chin on the boy's shoulder, "Thanks for... saving our asses..." he mumbled. 

"I'm scared again..." Ness pulled away and averted his eyes.

"What'd you like me to do then?" Lucas blinked.

Ness pressed his index finger against his own soft lips.

The blonde seemed to get the idea. His eyes bugged out as his body tilted towards Ness, "Wh— You sure you're not asking the wrong person??" he whispered before pursing his own lips. His palms were beginning to sweat.

"I...I'm sure, don't worry," Ness pouted, brows furrowed, before he covered his face. "But I could settle for a hug if you don't want to—"

Lucas pulled his hands away and pressed their lips together. 

Ness's tense shoulders loosened a bit before their lips parted.

Their kiss wasn't really that romantic. It was short and shallow but...

He liked it.

"Wh...why ask me for a kiss all of a sudden?" the blonde's eyes moved from Ness's own pair to the floor. Both seemed to be blushing.

"Will any answer do...?" 


	17. Chapter 17

_I feel safe whenever I feel your warmth..._

  
He recall Ness reply in a soft tone. The noirette let him know that it wasn't even the final answer yet.

* * *

"Hey, Lucas?" Ness tugged on his sleeve. "Can I... go outside with you to get food too?" he gave the blonde a puppy-eyed look. Not this trick...

"Huh? But—"

"If she finds me I won't be able to run," Ness mumbled.

Lucas reluctantly nodded and carried Ness on his back.

The blonde opened the door and checked their surroundings before heading downstairs and leaving the building to buy lunch. "Where do you wanna eat?" 

"Anywhere, really," Ness smiled.

The taller boy looked around to see if his favorite restaurant was still around. They mostly sold pastries but were skilled in making lunches as well.

"Never been here before?" Lucas asked as he entered and sat Ness down by a vacant table. "No but... Mother used to bring takeouts..." Ness rested his head on the table.

"Just choose for me, I'll eat anything," the noirette smiled faintly. Lucas seemed a bit concerned for him. Perhaps he was being paranoid.

But then again, Ness had the right to be scared now that his Mother was around.

Ness thought to himself as his friend walked over to the counter. He tapped his fingers on the table.

* * *

The two were headed back to their inn, Ness on the boy's back again.

"That hit the spot, don't you think?" Lucas smiled at Ness. "Hey um..." he mumbled.

"Yeah? Were you thinking of something?" the blonde hummed. "Ah, n.. no, sorry... I forgot already," Ness chuckled lightly, blush tinting his face.

When he rested against Lucas's back and felt the skin of his neck, he couldn't help but notice that it was warmer than before.

* * *

"We need to leave," Lucas whispered as he packed up again. "So soon? It's still afternoon. Don't you want to at least have a siesta—" the blonde covered Ness's mouth.

Now wasn't a time to argue.

He climbed onto his back again, brows furrowed. Lucas picked up the bag and slowly opened the door. The creaking floorboards made him cringe at times.

After paying and leaving the inn, he broke into a sprint and off they were again. Tazmily was so close.

He just needed one more push to get there. Past the town was an old road with plants growing in between its cracks. There were barely any buildings and a person would find trees whether they looked left or right.

Ness could feel the blonde's temperature rising, "Lucas—"

"Not now. I can't rest, not when she's still in that town," the blonde found it hard to talk as he panted in between his words.

Ness was getting annoyed with how stubborn the boy was. He grunted as he tilted to the side, causing Lucas to lose his balance and fall onto the grass at the side of the road.

"Ness! What—"

"Idiot!" the noirette pulled on his ear and sat up. "But what about your mom!" Lucas raised his voice.

Ness ignored him and pressed his hand against his own forehead then Lucas's, "You have a fever..." he murmured. "Did you bring any medicine with us?" he opened the bag and rummaged for said medicine.

"No I— I brought a cooling pad," Lucas grunted as he sat up and opened a pocket from the bag, taking out a small box. 

He grabbed a cooling pad and pulled the plastic off of it before placing the adhesive side of the pad onto his forehead.

"L-look I... If it helps I'll go back to town and have her arrested," Ness eyed him, displaying a stern look. "Alright, I'll carry y—"

"No, you sit here and rest. I'm sure I can walk again," the noirette waved his hands around in an exaggerated manner. "But..."

"No buts! Besides, what if you suddenly collapse?" Ness held his shoulders. He wanted to hit himself in the head for not thinking of that idea sooner. 

"Idiot, there's a jail in Tazmily too. The people know me so I'm sure they'll trust us and our story. Please just... Stop being stubborn and climb on my back," the blonde pinched the bridge of his nose. 

Ness huffed and did as told, "You should stop being stubborn too," he muttered under his breath. 

* * *

Lucas's legs were getting shakier. He felt like as if Ness was twice his original weight. It doesn't matter. They were so close.

So close...

The blonde had collapsed on the road, daydreaming about successfully bringing Ness to his hometown to recover.

"Ah! Lucas...!" Ness quickly crawled off of his back. The taller boy was panting and his cheek was against the ground. Ness looked around, he was panicking. 


	18. Chapter 18

Ness was hesitant to leave Lucas alone laying on the road. It was just one straight road and the boy did say Tazmily was close.

He slowly picked himself up from the ground. His legs were wobbly. It's been around three years since he last walked.

The noirette's legs didn't seem as strong enough to support his own weight but he tried to maintain balance. He whimpered as he tripped but forced himself to get up again.

"Help!" he shouted as he walked. He didn't want to force himself to run yet. He shouted and shouted, hoping to get a person's attention. The folks were still probably busy eating lunch.

"Someone!" Ness's throat was getting scratchy. His legs eventually gave up to no one's surprise. "Shit..." he muttered.

He still had arms.

Yeah.

The noirette would drag himself to town, still crying for help.

He looked helpless and pathetic. 

He knew he was helpless and pathetic so he forced himself to go on. He'll prove everyone wrong.

Even himself.

His shirt was getting soiled by the ground. Would Lucas scold him if he saw the dirtied shirt?

"Ah, there! I heard the shouting there!" Ness heard a child's voice. Then footsteps that got louder and louder.

A woman was looking down at him, "Are you okay?"

"My friend! H-he has a fever and I can't carry him!" Ness pointed at the road behind him. "His name's Lucas, he collapsed on the way here!"

"He's not with his father this time...?" the woman mumbled. "Please wait here, I'll go call for help," she said before running back to town. 

Ness sighed in relief. 


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi hi omg sorry i wasn't able to follow my daily schedule. school project sucks ://

Lucas slowly opened his eyes, only to be greeted by a face similar to his. The difference was the other boy had a scar on his left cheek and had ginger hair. He looked furious

"Huh—"

"Dumbass!" the boy slapped Lucas's forehead with a wet towel. "Ah! Claus, what the fuck!" the blonde quickly sat up and glared at his twin.

And then he noticed.

His back had no one on it and no one was sleeping next to him. "Wait, where's... Ness!" He quickly got off the bed, "Hey, pipe down will you?" his brother held his arm and sat him down on the bed.

"Why? What if something happens to N—"

"Your raven haired maiden is sleeping in the other room. If it weren't for him your cold would've gotten worse you know?"

"Maiden?" Lucas furrowed his brows in annoyance before shaking the word off. 

"Ness or... whatever was found by the entrance crawling and screaming for help. They figured he couldn't walk well and carried him here to let him rest. You can go see him now and sleep next to him if that's what you like," Claus shrugged. "He hasn't changed his clothes yet since he was knocked out when they got him here."

The blonde nodded. The room next to his was supposedly the guest room. If Lucas has to be honest, their guest room was *way* better than Ana's dusty one. He was glad Ness was finally here.

He saw the noirette sleeping on the bed, drool dripping from the side of his mouth. The front part of his shirt was dirty. Lucas was a little sad but he could always wash it for the boy.

The room's lights were turned off and by the window was a vase with a flower in it. The tulip looks cute. Claus really made an effort to keep the place feel lively even after his brother and father moved to the city.

* * *

"Hey um... If you're still worried about Mother, I told them about the situation. Sorry I forced myself to walk..." Ness fiddled with the button on his overalls. "You walked?" Lucas blinked. "But Claus told me you crawled here...."

Ness shook his head, "I walked but then my legs gave up," he rubbed the back of his neck. He shifted in his spot on the bed before pointing at his cheek. "Could I... get a kiss?"

"R..right now? I don't wanna get you sick—"

"Then will a hug do?"

Lucas shyly nodded and wrapped his arms around the boy. "I'm... glad I got to save you..." he yawned. "Soon you'll be able to walk," he slowly laid down, still having the noirette in his arms.

"Yeah!" Ness smiled. "Can I... live with you?" he hugged Lucas back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey man nice to see you stick till the end! i originally wanted to make this more morbid but decided it'd be better on another book. this is actually the first fanfiction that i actually got to finish uhh 👉👈


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